The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, in partnership with mental health consumers, carers and care coordinators, mental health policy and practice experts and health professionals has released a mental health framework which highlights and promotes the expertise of pharmacists and the roles they undertake as partners in mental health care.

National President of the PSA, Grant Kardachi, said the framework was intended to be used to articulate current and explore future pharmacist roles as partners to enhance mental health care service delivery to Australian consumers and carers. "This framework will be used to engage with a variety of audiences including consumers, carers, mental health care organisations, health care practitioners and governments to promote the role of the pharmacist as a partner in the delivery of mental health care," he said.

Touch Surgery, the new mobile surgical simulator lets you tap and swipe your way through the steps of an operation in a radical new model of interactive training. With an effortless swipe of the finger, you slice open the patient's skin. A gentle pinch and the flesh is prised apart to reveal layers of tissue. Another swipe and a pair of scissors descends into view and begins to cut into the muscle. A few more swipes, taps and pinches and, hey presto, you've removed an appendix.

Touch Surgery, is a new iPhone and iPad app designed to help trainee surgeons learn the steps of their operations. Touch Surgery takes simulation to a whole new level: every step of each procedure is animated in graphic 3D detail. It's not for the squeamish.

OECD and WHO have recently published Health at a Glance: Asia/Pacific 2012. This is a set of key indicators of health status, the determinants of health, healthcare resources and utilisation, healthcare expenditure and financing and healthcare quality in 27 Asia/Pacific countries. Broad based health workforce indicators are included (staff: population ratios).This is a diverse region with some very low resource countries (e.g.: PNG, Cambodia and Laos PDR) and some highly developed countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan.

Early diagnosis and intervention for ADHD, autism and schizophrenia could be made possible after Australian scientists discovered the molecular networks in the brain showing psychiatric and developmental disorders. Scientists at The University of Queensland's (UQ) Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) said their discovery of the molecular networks of the disorders was a step up from existing behavioural testing used to diagnose ADHD, autism, schizophrenia and X-linked intellectual disability - a mental retardation affecting men who have a single X chromosome.

QBI's Associate Professor Charles Claudianos said the discovery would allow for a hypothetical "gene network model" that could be used to analyse the many candidate genes and predict the association of genetic screening data with autism, ADHD and schizophrenia.

In 2012, 65.5% of patients presenting to a public hospital emergency department in Australia had their visits to the emergency department completed in 4 hours or less.

In 2012 there were almost 671,000 hospital admissions in Australia from public hospital elective surgery waiting lists, as either an elective or an emergency admission. Median waiting times ranged from 27 days in Queensland to 55 days in the ACT.

"Unless we solve the problem of antimicrobial resistance to drugs, we will be facing a post-antibiotic era where things as common as a strep throat infection or a child's scratched knee could once again kill." Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) 2012.

The Australia Institute's paper concludes that it is necessary to devise a much more accountable and transparent system of management of AMR in Australia if we are to avoid another largely wasted decade. Given the pressing nature of the problem and the catastrophic impact of antimicrobial resistance, effective action must be taken urgently.

The Global Library of Women's Medicine (GLOWM) is a major not-for-profit initiative to provide medical professionals worldwide with free and universal access to a vast and constantly updated, peer-reviewed resource of clinical information and guidance. The principal features of the site consist of 442 specialist chapters plus surgical videos, diagnostic atlases, laboratory tests and a special section on Safer Motherhood. A series of 12 expert videos on laparoscopic surgery by Professor L. Mettler have recently been added.

Edited by Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran of St George's University of London, UK, the site is made possible by 750 clinicians providing contributions.

In April 2008, the Australian Government committed to providing an annual report to Parliament on progress towards closing the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non- Indigenous Australians.

Part one of this report assesses progress against the COAG Closing the Gap Targets for health equality. It maintains a focus on evaluating the implementation of the Close the Gap Statement of Intent commitments(particularly in relation to partnership and the ongoing development of the Health Plan). As a part of this it examines the renewal of the Indigenous Health NPA.

Part two examines developments in relation to partnership and planning. The development of the Health Plan is underway. It is essential that the Health Plan be developed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their representative bodies including the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector

Karin Ried, Ph.D., is research director for the National Institute of Integrative Medicine in Melbourne, Australia, and is one of the leading chocolate researchers in the world. Her main interest is in chocolate's effect on blood pressure. Her research, along with that of others, has shown that regularly eating small amounts of chocolate can lower blood pressure enough to improve heart health.

The Guidelines are for use by health professionals, policy makers, educators, food manufacturers, food retailers and researchers.

The content of the Australian Dietary Guidelines applies to all healthy Australians, as well as those with common diet-related risk factors such as being overweight. They do not apply to people who need special dietary advice for a medical condition, or to the frail elderly.

The Infant Feeding Guidelines (2012) are aimed at health workers to assist them in providing consistent advice to the general public about breastfeeding and infant feeding. They support optimum infant nutrition by providing a review of the evidence, and clear evidence-based recommendations on infant feeding for health workers.

The Guidelines are a revision of the 2003 edition (and incorporate the latest scientific evidence). They were prepared by experts in paediatric nutrition, nutrition research, nutrition communication, public health and primary health.

The Guidelines provide advice and recommendations on breastfeeding, supporting mothers and parents, the introduction of solids, preparing infant formula and other common health related concerns.

The Infant Feeding Guidelines are relevant to healthy, term infants of normal birth weight (>2500g). Although many of the principles of infant feeding described here can be applied to low birth weight infants, specific medical advice is recommended for pre-term and underweight infants.

The rationale for developing a MHIC is to allow collection of mental health intervention information using a standard classification scheme that enables nationally comparable and consistent reporting of trends, patterns and best practice in the provision of mental health services.The first iteration, known as MHIC 06, was developed by the National Centre for Classification in Health in 2006. Following the development of this proposed classification scheme, the MHISS agreed to undertake a reappraisal of the MHIC 06.

As part of the reappraisal, a revised classification scheme was developed, which became known as MHIC 09. In 2011, the MHIC 09 was piloted at a number of trial sites. After feedback from participating sites, further refinements have been made. This report presents the 2012 revision of the MHIC.

The Cochrane Library iPad Edition presents the latest up-to-date evidence from The Cochrane Library in a convenient, easy to navigate format. Monthly issues feature Cochrane Systematic Reviews selected by the Editor in Chief and specifically abridged to provide the best possible iPad reading experience. The reviews are enriched with the addition of multimedia content, including podcasts, videos and slide decks.

In this app, you can easily access abstracts, read selected reviews, and view full-page summary of findings tables. With access to a range of
topics each month, you can create a reading list tailored to your own interests. All content in the app is free, and new issues will be downloaded regularly to your Newsstand.

Special features:
*Read full editorials, listen to integrated podcasts and watch videos associated with reviews wherever you are
*Use multitouch gestures for easy viewing of tables and images
*Bookmark articles, images, tables and figures for convenient reading
*Read and access content offline even when on a plane, train, subway etc. without a network connection
*Export article PDFs to your document manager or view PowerPoint article slide sets in a presentation app

Abundant evidence shows that the higher your income or level of education in Australia, the better your health will tend to be. People in the most disadvantaged social groups are also far more likely than those in the higher socioeconomic groups to have long-term physical or mental health problems. They are less able to gain an education or maintain a job to retirement and are more likely to die at a younger age.

The Alliance membership includes Australia's leading health equity researchers -- some of whom were involved in the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health -- as well as leading health promotion and social service organisations. The website includes links to major research reports, links to member organisations and links to other sites containing information on the social determinants of health

The parliamentary inquiry has heard fly-in fly-out work pays very well and provides large blocks of time off but it is also damaging some communities, where health and other services are under pressure. It also found FIFOs are not participating in community life.

The inquiry chairman Tony Windsor says the high cost and low supply of housing means many workers choose to "cash in" rather than living in the communities. He says all levels of government need to provide an opportunity for workers to live full-time in the communities where they are employed. "There could be incentives put in place to encourage people to reside in the community rather than the current practice," he said. "When you analyse it the incentives are not to live in the community and that's a shocking indictment."

The chief executive of the Minerals Council of Australia Mitch Hooke says the report is upsetting. "Most people in our industry will take that as being quite offensive, to liken their choice of work arrangements as a cancer on regional Australia. I think it just underscores the continuing challenge about what community engagement's all about, what social stewardship is all about."

Strategies to minimise the incidence of suicide and suicidal behaviourThis resource sheet provides a review of policies and programs that aim to prevent suicide and suicidal behaviour, and considers suicide prevention policies and programs that have been implemented in both remote and non-remote parts of Australia and internationally. It assesses their strengths and limitations and their actual, or likely, effectiveness in relation to Indigenous Australians.

Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) has launched a new Breast Cancer and Exercise booklet to provide women with reliable and comprehensive information about exercising after a breast cancer diagnosis. The new resource provides women with information about how exercise may benefit them, as well as offering practical tips about keeping active from the experiences of other women.

The report includes new data from the 2011 Census and provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of progress against the targets.

The report highlights 2013 as the year the first target - ensuring all Indigenous four-year olds living in remote communities have access to early childhood education within 5 years - falls due and claims this target will be met.

The report states that continued and sustained effort is needed to close the gap, but that the expected achievement of the early childhood education target in 2013 will support a commitment to ensuring that benefits flow through to the other Closing the gap targets to further address Indigenous disadvantage.

Make Research Matter (MRM) is an online toolkit that assists developers of public health and health services research interventions to increase the dissemination and implementation (D&I) potential of their interventions.

The MRM website consists of four main tools:

> Planning Tool - an interactive survey which provides a tailored report that aids researchers with their dissemination plan;

> Resource Library - a searchable database consisting of a compilation of D&I related articles from multiple sources which is updated monthly;

> Glossary-containing over 100 definitions of terminology used in D&I health research. Additionally, users of the MRM website can learn more about current publications and presentations, and current news related to D&I.

To answer this question, researchers from the Australian National University conducted a survey of older Australians living in the community - with unique measures pertaining to the healthcare costs faced by respondents as well as questions about their health and wellbeing and general demographic characteristics. This report shows that although many costs are subsidised through Australia's Medicare arrangements, a sizeable minority of mature age people face considerable out-of-pocket health care costs.

This government strategy aims to ensure that LGBTI people have the same opportunities and options in aged care that are available to all Australians. It is designed to not only raise awareness of the issues but also, in a very concrete way, improve the ageing and aged care experience of LGBTI people, recognising and valuing the diversity of this group. Although LGBTI people rarely want to be solely defined by their sexual orientation, sex or gender identity, for many it is an important part of who they are. Aged care services need to ensure that they provide a consumer directed approach to meeting the care needs of older LGBTI people, resulting in appropriate and targeted services.

Cancer Australia has launched two new online multimedia resources to increase the involvement of people affected by cancer in cancer control efforts. Cancer Australia CEO Professor Helen Zorbas said that World Cancer Day provided an opportunity to acknowledge the unique perspective that cancer consumers provide to improving cancer care and services. The two new resources are the Consumer Learning website which is designed to enhance consumer knowledge and confidence to participate in cancer research and clinical trials, and the Consumer Involvement Toolkit which will support CEOs, managers, health professionals, researchers and policy makers to effectively involve consumers in their organisation's work.

The Consumer Learning website was developed in collaboration with the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia (COSA). This site has been developed to enhance the contribution of people affected by cancer to clinical trials research. Consumers working with the Cancer Cooperative Trials Groups (CCTGs), and consumers more broadly, now have access to a suite of learning and support initiatives to enhance knowledge and skills in partnering with researchers to conduct quality patient-centred clinical trial research.

The National Indigenous Cancer Network (NICaN) has been launched. NICaN is an online resource established by a partnership of the Menzies School of Health Research, the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, the Lowitja Institute, and Cancer Council Australia. It aims to encourage and support collaboration around Indigenous cancer research and delivery of services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer, their carers and families.